CENDRILLON
by raindropdays
Summary: AU FAIRYTALE Everything changes when the clock strikes midnight. Join the magician, knight, prince and maiden as they dance to die. A dark Cinderella story with a hint of CLAMP that teaches the price of love Unlike any Cinderella story you've read before
1. Prologue

**A/N: A few things.**

**1) First, I am very excited to announce my first Tsubasa fanfic. It was the SakuraXSyaoran pairing that first inspired me to write fanfiction and therefore, finally many years later I am able to craft one of my own.**

**2) Next, I would like to point out that the format of this prologue is different than the actual story. While this banters on back and forth between two different realities the story will take place in more of the traditional story telling method so please, if you do not like this style, sit tight and wait for Chapter One.**

**3) Finally, I would like to point out the darkness of this story. While I don't think it's that bad I apologize for its possible disturbing factors. I merely wanted to try something different than my usual romance/humor stories and in no way promote the ideas written here.**

**Disclaimer: raindropdays does not own Tsubasa, the characters or the plot. Those belong to the geniuses, CLAMP. **

* * *

Prologue

* * *

Far away a man sits overlooking a large reservoir. A behemoth of a clock stands a few feet away counting down the moments until the curse breaks free. He smiles wickedly as a glimmer of the moon reflects in his glasses.

Pensively, he raises his eyes to the sky and catches a glimpse of the fleeting moon as it disappears behind heavy, rain-filled clouds.

He already knows the course that history will take.

He knows the date the curse will break.

* * *

**TAKE ONE**

Sakura swept the honey, auburn locks out of her face as she stared up at the castle walls. Her eyes were filled with wonder and her heart, filled to the brim with curiosity. Inquisitively, she reached up and ran her hand across the smooth, cool stone walls, biting her tongue as her fingers twisted in and around the grooves of cement that had held those walls up for so long. Around her, a gentle breeze stirred up the flowers that scattered around the dirt path.

"Sakura!" a man called in the distance, his spectacles glinting in the bright, summer sun. She turned happily to face them, a bright smile brimming on her face. Next to the owner of the voice, stood a young woman with beautiful features and lengthy curls; both were smiling at her showing love only a parent could show.

"Coming!" replied Sakura, as she bounded towards them, stirring the flowers about as she ran. They outstretched their fingers to touch her as she bounded closer and her arms were out stretched in flattering mimicry. But their bodies never touched, their hands never met... and somewhere far away the clock struck midnight though there was not a star in the sky.

* * *

**TAKE TWO**

Sakura sat with her back against the cold stone, walls as the rain drummed down on her. Her russet colored hair was plastered to her face and her emerald eyes were dark and cloudy as they struggled to remain open. She hugged her knees against her chest, the last place where warmth remained in her small body.

People scurried to and fro past her, holding cloths and fabric over their heads to shield the bitter rain from piercing their bare faces and arms. She looked on enviously at them as she saw a small family walk past. But then her hopes fell.

Because it was okay.

She had never known her family, she had never known her parents. Did she have any siblings? She lingered on the word for a short moment before pushing it out of her mind.

How many times had she let her mind wander down that path?

She was alone. She had always been alone. One day she woke up with no memory. One day she woke up with no life. One day she had woken up without herself.

And that was that.

There was no use wondering over it any longer. She coughed as a woman stopped to stare down at her for a split second before turning her back again and muttering something about a dirty orphan.

And Sakura closed her eyes and let the rain beat into her again, accepting the words easily, because that was who she was.

* * *

**TAKE ONE**

Syaoran bounded down the stairs, eyes filled with glee and expectations high. He had been anticipating his eighth birthday for many months now and finally the day had come. He ran past the maid and cook mumbling small 'hello's and quiet 'excuse me's and naturally all of the castle's servants smiled at him with wide grins, overflowing with mutual happiness. After all, what day was happier than the crown prince's birthday?

As Syaoran reached the main foyer he stumbled to a struggled stop and bowed hastily as his parents sat in chairs opposite of him. "Good morning Mother, Father," he said, his head still bowed.

"Syaoran, come sit down!" called his mother anxiously from across the room. He looked up and his eyes met his mother's, glinting from the bright sun that shone beyond the bay window's panes.

"It's your birthday son," laughed his father, "Come now and sit down."

Syaoran nodded anxiously and made his way to the velvety chairs where they were seated and took a seat next to them on the feathery couch. He sat respectfully as all royalty would and should, his head slightly angled down as a sign of respect to his parents, the king and queen. "Thank you," he said graciously as they handed him a large box, wrapped elegantly in green paper with a large gold bow on it.

"Happy birthday Syoaran," said his mother as she hugged him tight around the neck, "We love you so much."

* * *

**TAKE TWO**

Syaoran eyes shot open and he jumped up instinctively. He had just seen something horrible...or had it been a dream? He turned to gaze around his room and saw that nothing was out of place. All of his possession still sat in their respectful places, just as he had left them the previous night. His oak desk still sat at the opposing side of his room and his window was still left ajar ever so slightly, just as it had been before he dozed off to sleep the previous night.

He sat down on his bed feverishly, his mind racing to keep up with thoughts that he suddenly couldn't recall. Somewhere...something had happened. He chewed his lip trying to remember what it was but no memories came. Slowly, he decided that it had been nothing more than the post fear of the nightmare and stood up again. He made his way to his closet to dress, bumping into his calendar as he made his way. It clattered to the floor, lying open to the month of April.

He gazed down at it and noticed the date. A wide smile spread across his face. Of course, how could he not have remembered? Today was the day of his eighth birthday. He dressed quickly and threw open the door to his room ready to be greeted by the servants of the castles, wearing their bright smiles.

As soon as he took one step out of his room he knew something was wrong. The hall was stale and empty and a terrible sickening feeling shot up inside of him. Slowly he made his way to the staircase, glancing around in every direction as he walked, trying to see someone...anyone.

Maybe they had all hidden. Yes, hidden to surprise him for his birthday. He smiled hopefully as he began his descent. If it was all just a joke...if it was just a surprise...if...

The stairs creaked a little bit as he moved, setting off an eerie aura that he had never felt in his own home before. Finally he reached the cool, marble base and looked around. Still, there wasn't a soul in sight. He rounded the corner cautiously and immediately a pungent odor struck him. And then he saw them, sprawled across the floor of the foyer, blood splattered on the velvety chairs and feathery couch. And the horrible screams came flooding back into his mind and he realized that it had indeed not been just a horrible nightmare.

* * *

**TAKE ONE**

Fai looked around the small cabin with a joker's grin painted on his face. Today was the single happiest day of his life. He almost spun a little bit as he made his way to his coat rack and carefully removed his heavy winter coat to replace it in his travelling bag. Looking down affectionately at the fleece overcoat he couldn't help but remember the very moment he had met _her_. He smiled and decided to leave the coat out a little bit longer and hung it back up on the rack. Gracefully, he turned to the door and headed out grabbing his hat as he went and sitting it tactfully on his head.

It was a beautiful summer day, he noted as he made his way down the blotchy, dirt path that led from his small home to the main road. For almost a year he had lived in this place. For almost a year he had known her. He smiled when he thought of her elegant manner, her gentle nature, her sweet face...

And today, he would show her just how much he cared about her.

"Magician!" someone called to him from across the street as he walked. Fai tipped his hat to him politely and continued to walk on.

Down the road he could see a rather large cabin adorned with lilies and white roses, the flowers of promise and love. Outside the cabin a young woman was sitting, wearing a charmingly, beautiful white dress and a string of lavender, the symbol of betrothal, in her long, snowy blond hair. She smiled when she caught sight of Fai and stood up almost immediately.

"Fai!" she called in a sweet voice as she waved to him. Fai waved back enthusiastically, never missing a step as he made his way eagerly through the low gate and towards her. "You've come for me," she said smiling, tears of joy coming to her eyes, "I'm so happy."

* * *

**TAKE TWO**

Fai threw his travelling bag onto his back and took a final look around the small room. It had only been his home for a short time and yet in that short time, he had dreamed, fallen in love and was now being ripped apart from his love. He shuddered at the very thought of being separated from her. No, he wouldn't ever allow it to happen.

Swiftly, he made his way to the door and opened it without hesitation. Even if it meant leaving this place forever, it was worth it to be with her. He made his way down the dirt path littered with stones solemnly, keeping his head up and staring straight ahead as if he were in some strange hypnotic trance. He reached the main road and took a sharp right, heading down the route he had memorize all too long ago to the house he desired to visit most.

"Magician!" someone bellowed to him from across the street as he walked. He ignored their outburst and continued to walk, his pace quickening slightly. Something was wrong. Something had changed. He could feel it rippling through the air. And the source was _her_ house. He had no time for some pathetic man in this pathetic town.

Nervously he reached the large cabin at the top of the hill. It was silent, barren and had a look of death about it. Frantically, he flew through the swinging gate and to the door. A smell of cruel death had reached him and already his mind was racing and finding explanations his body didn't want to accept.

He paused at the door wondering what to do now. He knew in his mind what the inner room of the cabin held for him but his heart did not want to accept it. Nervously, he pushed the door open. His eyes fell on pure horror.

Her snowy blonde hair was now blotchy with stains of what appeared to be deep red ink and her eyes gazed off towards a place she would never see again. And there, that man stood, over her body, laughing, just laughing insanely, staring at Fai all the time. And the insanity grew and spread until Fai could take it no more.

* * *

**TAKE ONE**

Kurogane stared around at the enemies with the same look he had after every victory. Pure arrogance was smeared across his attractively menacing face as he stepped over their bodies towards the princess in her protected barricade. They had come at her from all sides, the rest of her faithful guard already defeated long ago. But she had had barely enough to scream before he had come to her aid. He was always there brandishing his sword and even though she always seemed to reprimand him for his reckless ways after the battles had ended, she always had a certain tone of affection for him as well.

He grunted as he made his way up the stairs and beyond the lilac colored veil that separated her from the endless gruesome fights, the danger and the enemies that seemed to plague them constantly.

"Hey," he called as he neared the veil, "They're all dead; every single last one of them." He said the words triumphantly with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Kurogane," she said as he pulled the veil back to reveal himself to her and she to him, "That is a horrible thing to say." He scoffed, brushing her words off easily.

"They deserved it, pieces of filth trying to sneak in here. But they should have known the great Kurogane would be here!" He laughed at his own invincibility. When his fair maiden didn't say anything he turned impatiently to her.

"What's wrong with you?" He said disrespectfully, "Did you want to be captured? Killed?"

The princess shook her head slowly, a small smile spreading across her porcelain face, framed with black tresses. She opened her all knowing onyx eyes slowly. "Of course not," she responded, and it was as simple as that.

* * *

**TAKE TWO**

Kurogane had a feeling that was foreign to him growing within is his gut. The feeling was fear itself. His eyes were wide with horror as he stared down at his own hands. His eyes wandered from his hands up his arms and to his torso, all boasting deep, red cuts. His mouth hung open, gaping with words that would never leave his mouth still hanging within.

Shaking, he rose to his feet and reached for his beloved sword but could not find it among the dead bodies that littered the courtyard. But it was not for them that he worried. How many times had he seen his comrades fall in battle? How many times had he simply blamed it upon their weaknesses, their lack of better judgment, their absence of skill as a fighter?

His eyes were wide and blood-shot as he made his way towards the place where the jewel of his efforts had once sat, so happy, so trusting, so... His legs faltered as he made his way up the stairs to her throne and he fell on his stomach. Groaning, he struggled to stand again, wondering how it was that this had happened. He squeezed his eyes shut painfully. He knew how this had happened. He knew...he knew it all.

Angrily he reached the top of the stairs and threw back the violet veil but she was not there. Falling to his knees he stared at her throne where she had sat just a few moments earlier, her long black hair, elegantly swept back over her shoulder and her pensive eyes wide open, waiting restlessly for...

His thoughts faltered. Would he ever know now? Would he ever discover the answer to his long kept but never spoken question? His eyes darted around the room madly, looking for some last trace of her. Anything; a sign, a ransom note a discarded sword holding a clue to the menace who had stolen her away. His eyes fell on a dark corner and his mind went blank with agony and anger.

* * *

The clock keeps ticking, the minutes keep passing.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

Continue on...

Continue down this path, down this path to your death.

At midnight the spell will break.

* * *

**A/N: A bit confusing huh? Don't worry, questions will be answered as time goes on... Also, unique, right? I told you...**

**Anyway, I would enjoy your comments please on both the idea for this story and the writing style used here. Thanks for your time. See you in Act I.**


	2. Act I: Morning

******A/N: First and foremost, thank you to everyone who reviewed/threatened me for not updating! As scary as it seems that really helped me to come back after a long hiatus away from fanfiction and rethink up some plans for this story even after my computer with the chapters already written had crashed... TWICE! (still not too happy about that... -_-). I hope that this chapter doesn't disappoint and as an offering to my loyal readers, it gets right to the plot. ^^; Sorry if it's a bit choppy at the beginning; such is the nature of a lazy writer like me. And it is a fairytale so it should move a bit faster than other stories... This aside, thanks to everyone who loyally awaited for act one and for those of you just tuning in, I hope you find something below to hold your fancy. :)**

* * *

ACT I

MORNING

* * *

Seishiro had never known the master of the castle to be difficult about anything. Oh sure, there were times when he was stern—all rulers had to be at one point or another. And yes, there were a few topics here and there that the master would prefer not to discuss, but he was overall, an agreeable, charming young man. And so, it's obviously understandable to note that Seishiro didn't think twice on discussing the matter of finding a bride for the young master when one of the other courtly advisors suggested he speak with the crown prince about it.

"It's high time he find himself a queen," the advisor whose name Seishiro had never bothered to learn nearly shouted across the fairly roomy chamber that served as their council's meeting place. "The kingdom needs a queen and he needs an heir!" The man nodded to himself as a few men joined in, also nodding in agreement. "The kingdom needs an heir and he needs a queen!" he nearly bellowed reversing the order of the words as if this act had some impact on their importance.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" a few other advisors were now chanting in a cultish frenzy that gave Seishiro a headache.

"Yes, yes," Seishiro thought to himself, nearly muttering the words under his breath as he rubbed at his temples to try and ease the quickly forming migraine, "If you keep chanting, of course it will come to pass." Though Seishiro had never been known to be an optimistic man among the court, it was faithfully noted that the rise in his level of sarcasm as of late had been a direct result of the prince's upcoming eighteenth birthday. With no queen and sub sequentially no heir for the kingdom along with the crown prince's quick approach to law-designated manhood, it's no wonder that Seishiro had become bitter as the days turned from frosty winter to singsong spring.

"So it's decided!" the man who had been the rowdiest during the meeting suddenly exclaimed, slamming his hand down on the advisors' table, "Seishiro, you will talk to him about this and a suitable maiden will be found to become our queen!"

Seishiro shot the man a dangerous look as if to warn him of barking off orders, but let his snide remark die in his throat. "Very well," was his reply.

"Excellent!" the room agreed in joy at the prospect of an heir soon joining the kingdom.

And with that, the meeting ended, leaving the heavy burden resting neatly on Seishiro's shoulders.

* * *

Syaoran was in the palace's main courtyard when Seishiro, his most trusted advisor, approached him. His mind had been on other thoughts such as how he would come to deal with the growing famine across the land as well as the possible war with the neighboring countries before he had been promptly stopped by the sudden appearance of Seishiro and the head of the guard, Kurogane.

"What a strange combination..." Syaoran couldn't help but think as the two approached him. They were both people whom he trusted above all else in the castle sure, yet to see them together was odd, if not the least bit distressing.

"Your Highness," Seishiro addressed respectfully as he neared Syaoran, "A word?"

"Has the Country to the North made an advance to attack?" asked Syaoran with worry as he stood to meet the two older men, seriousness and a king's duty now gripping his very frame.

"Heh. We would have stopped them long before that, Kid," was Kurogane's short answer. Though they held no meaning of comfort, Syaoran immediately calmed, letting his nervous frenzy fade away while Seishiro wondered for about the hundredth time why the Crown Prince allowed the head of the guard to call him 'kid'. Though Syaoran was only seventeen and had inherited the crown at a young age, he was mature and still the prince who would very soon succeed the position of king. 'Kid' was hardly appropriate.

"So then, what is the problem?" asked Syaoran, still sensing the tension that seemed to have entered the small garden alongside the two men.

"As your main advisor, your Highness, the Council has suggested I relay to you the information discussed into today's meeting," began Seishiro professionally. Syaoran nodded while Kurogane gave an out of place scoff. Syaoran had barely a second to ponder the placement of the scoff before Seishiro continued. "It has come to be the Council's main concern that you have not yet found a bride" Seishiro stated plainly, getting straight to the point.

"A bride?" Syaoran questioned, clearly caught off guard. A bride had been the least of his worries. Kurogane scoffed again.

Seishiro shot him a semi-annoyed look over his shoulder before continuing. "Yes, a bride. As you are aware, the age when you are set to take the throne is near approaching and a royal heir is usually conceived by such a time. If we were under different circumstances now and you were not the only Crown Prince or the current king and queen were still alive, there would be no need for this rush. However..."

Seishiro wasn't one to trail off, but he left the statement there to hang in the air. Because talking about the tragic past of the royal family was a less than desirable topic within the castle walls let alone, in the presence of the one who had perhaps been hurt most by that heartbreaking event that had occurred ten years ago. Perhaps, of course... only perhaps.

"I understand," replied Syaoran quietly, refusing to meet eye contact with either Seishiro or Kurogane.

"Seventeen and still needs to toughen up," commented Kurogane gruffly as he crossed his arms over his chest, the sword at his side making a faint 'clink' as he shifted his weight. "Find a girl or whatever it is you need to do and move on with your life. As always." Kurogane's advice always followed the same pattern whenever Syaoran was upset in his company. Don't regret, don't reminisce. Become stronger and always, move on. The words of a warrior, not a friend, though the deep bond the two held was still evident in them.

Syraoran turned away from the two to gather up the books he had been perusing as Seishiro turned to face Kurogane. "Just a moment ago you had been so against the idea of the Crown Prince finding a bride," he half-questioned, half-stated as the pale sunlight streamed over them.

Kurogane gave a short grunt to signify that he didn't want to answer the question. Seishiro, sensing this, turned to Syaoran's back and spoke again, "I suggest you start looking for a young maiden, Your Highness as the council is already becoming restless over the matter." And without further explanation or guidance necessary on the matter, he turned swiftly and retreated back into the castle to think of a way to quell the elder Council members' demands for a queen right then and there. After all, what was he supposed to do? Wave his magic wand and make a young maiden appear? He wasn't a magician... not that that particular man would be of any help on the matter. He shook the thoughts off; he was getting too old for this.

The two remaining actors were left in a silence that was only disturbed by a cool breeze breaking across the courtyard. Often, whenever Syaoran found himself in these positions, he couldn't help but remember when he had been a young boy, just barely over ten, and he and Kurogane had stood in the palace's courtyard, learning. Though they were learning two completely different things at the time. Syaoran was learning how to fight with a sword for the first time in his life, a skill that his father had always promised to teach him, while Kurogane was learning how to be a teacher, mentor and maybe even a friend. And though the two would push past those moments of silence to become what under normal and light-hearted circumstances could be considered 'friends', moments of silence between the two always brought them back to that first moment when everything was still so new.

"Have you ever been in love, Kurogane-sensei?" Syaoran asked, still refusing to meet Kurogane's eyes as he spoke more to the grass than his ill-tempered teacher.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" asked Kurogane, not seeing a point in answering. Not wanting to answer. Not wanting to remember in such a vulnerable space where his feelings and heart would be bare to scrapes and burns caused by the dangers associated with reminiscing in the open.

"I don't know," admitted Syaoran, "I guess I'm just wondering what it feels like."

Kurogane gave a small 'hmph' as he turned to look up at the blue sky above them. "You won't know it until you see it, Kid," Kurogane spoke, his eyes searching the sky for something just out of his reach, "But when you do, it feels like nothing you've ever known before."

Syaoran turned to look up at the sky as if he were helping Kurogane search though he did not know for what. "Nothing?"

"Yeah," replied Kurogane, his voice far off, "And it breaks you. Clean in half."

* * *

The town was abuzz with rumors of the Crown Prince searching for a wife flying about. Though mere peasant girls knew they would never have a chance with the kind and majestic prince, they couldn't help themselves from buying the most extravagant dresses they could afford and parading around town in them, hoping that just by chance, they would be able to catch the Crown Prince's eye. Syaoran, who loved to venture outside the walls of his palace quite frequently, found the display both inspiring and annoying. Though he was touched by their efforts to impress him, he couldn't help but be bitter in regard to how difficult it made his journeys outside the castle walls.

Not that inside the castle walls was any better. Every waking moment, day and night, at each meal and every instant in between, someone, somewhere, was asking him who he thought the next Crown Princess would be. "I'm not sure," was always his less-than-stoic answer. However he soon grew tired of avoiding his advisors and of seeing fruitless displays of 'love' in the town square and retreated into the forest to both think and peacefully be alone with his thoughts.

"What am I going to do?" he wondered as he rode along on his most prized steed, a cool breeze tickling his face. The trees were turning from deadened stumps and collections of lifeless sticks to budding entities of new life, sure signs that spring was on the way along with his birthday. His face darkened. Though he had always hated his birthday after his eighth, he couldn't quite ignore his next one as it marked him as a man and at a proper age to take the throne. He shooed away troublesome thoughts and instead focused on the ride, trying to push away thoughts of "what if's" and "maybe's". His peace, if you could call it that, however didn't last long as Syaoran was a man of honor. He didn't run from his problems and he didn't like to put off his trials and tribulations which often resulted in his self-righteous mind always returning to current events of worry on his mind.

"There has to be some girl, somewhere out there who I can fall in love with," Syaoran pondered almost desperately as he rode through the trees. And as if right on cue, there, about twenty feet away, a young maiden suddenly came into view. Startled that a girl was out in the forest so far away from civilization, Syaoran nearly fell off his horse, but quickly regained his composure, not wanting to make a scene.

She was, perhaps, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen; he knew so right away. Though she was dressed in dirty rags, and her russet colored hair was messy and blown about untidily in the spring wind, he could have sworn right then and there, that he'd never seen a more beautiful angel. Something about her deep but kind jade eyes caught his attention in a hold that he hoped would never loosen, a hold that he hoped would never let go as it began to stream quickly through his chest, straight to his heart. She was reaching up, standing on her tiptoes, attempting to place something in a bird's nest. He breathed in deeply as another breeze cut through the lively forest kicking up leaves and pollen and causing the young maiden to lose her balance and nearly fall over.

Impulsively, Syaoran attempted to lurch forward to catch her, momentarily forgetting he was on his horse. Clumsily, his less-than-gallant efforts only caused the horse to jolt forward, and a deep red blush quickly spread over his face. Quickly, without looking up to see if he had been caught, he steadied the horse, patting it rapidly and smoothing out its mane before finally looking up in the direction of the maiden. Luckily, she seemed to not have noticed him or his horse and had also prevented herself from falling by grasping onto the trunk of the tree nearest to her. He smiled warmly, the very sight of her bringing him joy though he didn't know why.

He thought he heard her laugh tinkling through the small forest though he couldn't be sure as at that moment a great crash of thunder broke their peaceful encounter. Syaoran's eyes darted towards the sky, surveying the dark, heavy rain-filled clouds that had now gathered over the Kingdom of Clow. When he turned back towards the maiden to ask her name and get a better glance she was gone. Syaoran sighed as rain began to pour down on him and his horse whined angrily at him for catching them both in a springtime rainstorm.

That was just his luck.

* * *

"I have girl in mind," Syaoran replied to Seishiro's unasked question, as the two sat in awkward silence over breakfast the next morning.

"A girl in mind to be the next queen?" Seishiro asked hopefully. When Syaoran nodded, he smiled. "Excellent, I will inform the Council of her name and whereabouts immediately, and all of this silliness can be put to rest." For once in days, Seishiro could feel his headache's grip on him loosening.

"I don't know her name," Syaoran commented dully to which Seishiro shot a puzzled look.

"Love at first sight, huh, Kid? Don't be fooled, that's a dangerous thing," remarked Kurogane who had been leaning against the window, staring out at the heavy downpour that hadn't let up all night.

Syaoran was about to respond when the doors to the dining room suddenly burst open and a cheerful blond seemingly floated in. "Good morning," he nearly sang as he approached the trio, either purposefully not taking notice of the serious aura that surrounded them, or choosing to ignore it.

"Why do you always have to make such a big commotion whenever you enter a room?" Kurogane nearly snarled out of annoyance under his breath.

"Oh Kurotan," the man replied almost innocently, "That's not fun at all." Kurogane steamed over the nickname but decided to let it go since there was no use in talking sense into the whimsical magician that stood before them.

"So I hear the Prince is interested in a young lady of the kingdom, is that right?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Fai-san," Syaoran commented politely, "There's no need for such formalities here."

Fai gave him a wide childlike smile, "So who's the girl, Syoaran?" His happy-go-lucky attitude radiated from him as he leaned over closer to Syaoran than Syaoran had expected.

"I don't know," was Syaoran's honest answer as he sighed again, allowing all emotions to drain from his very being, "I saw her in the forest yesterday and didn't have a chance to talk to her. I don't even know her name..."

"This is a real fairytale you've gotten yourself into," Fai responded merrily as he turned to face the other two men.

"What the hell are you talking about?" shot Kurogane, his temper short, "This isn't a fairytale, its real life."

"Funny how often those two overlap, isn't it, Kurotan?" replied Fai, parrying with a clever smile that always made Kurogane feel like he was missing something. Not that much was known about the magician Fai's life anyway. They were all enigmas living in the palace, after all. Dark enigmas living in a house of cards just waiting to come tumbling down.

"But do not fear Syoaran!" announced Fai, his seriousness dissipating quickly. Kurogane cursed under his breath. One day, he'd have to catch that damned magician by the throat and strangle him until he explained just what those serious looks meant.

Syaoran looked up at Fai hopefully. The magician didn't have an answer to all of their problems but when he did have solutions, they did work. Almost like magic.

"I know how we're going to find this mysterious maiden," Fai stated, all eyes of the room now on him.

"How?" Kurogane felt obligated to spit out an answer to humor the carefree man.

Fai smiled. There was that dangerous look again. "I'm so surprised no one has thought of it!" cheered Fai avoiding the prod.

"What the hell is it?" demanded Kurogane, his temper even shorter as it always was with the magician.

"What are you planning, Fai-san?" asked Syaoran, now thoroughly intrigued.

"A ball," was Fai's simple answer. Kurogane and Syaoran were still staring at Fai, one with narrow eyes and the other with wide, though Fai didn't pay them any attention.

"What—" Kurogane began another outburst, but Seishiro cut him off.

"A ball to search for this mysterious girl?" he questioned. Fai didn't respond which was as good as a confirmation from the trickster. "I suppose it could work..." Seishiro mused, "And it would be favorable under our time constraints." He turned to Syaoran, "Thoughts, Your Highness?"

Fai smiled genuinely at Syaoran, "Yes, it really is up to you, you know. Your destiny is in your own hands." Kurogane caught the last words as they slipped from Fai in a near whisper. The magician was up to something, he could tell.

"Well it's not as though we have any better ideas," Syaoran replied determinedly. Fai cheered overenthusiastically.

"Excellent! Planning should begin immediately!" said Fai.

Seishiro nodded as he got to his feet, "Agreed." And with that, he exited the room, glad that something good had come out of the morning's breakfast. Syaoran followed him, knowing that it would be proper duty to announce this "master plan" to the Council himself, after thanking Fai and Kurogane for their time and input on the matter.

Fai and Kurogane remained in silence for a bit longer, their backs facing each other.

"You know my secret," Fai finally stated, his words floating around the room almost innocently.

Kurogane grunted, "So you think it was her?"

Fai chuckled. "Is that what you think, Kurotan?"

"Don't call me that!" Kurogane snapped shortly. Fai paid it no mind.

"Do you think I would be so cruel?" Kurogane was slow to answer, choosing his words and memories carefully. Fai shifted his gaze to the ceiling. "All that's past and done has not made me the best of people." Kurogane didn't feel a need to respond to this. It was common knowledge that none of them were good people in that hell of a castle. Especially not he and Fai. Fai shook his head to himself as if he were pushing a thought not worth thinking about out of his mind, "I believe it is her."

The simply short phrase caught Kurogane off guard, "The princess?" Fai was silent. "Answer me," Kurogane nearly growled but Fai continued to hold his tongue. Kurogane exhaled impatiently, shifting to stand straight up and approach the illusive magician. "So taking direct orders straight from him, huh?" he asked bitterly.

Fai suddenly shot him a very dark and uncharacteristic look that made the air in the room go icy cold. Kurogane gave a bitter laugh.

"It seems each and every one of us has sold our soul to the devil."

* * *

Sakura ran through the busy streets of Clow, clumsily trying to avoid dastardly falling drops as they attempted to pierce her face and clothes. From the dampness of her hair and dress however, one could see that she wasn't doing a very good job of it. She was dressed in browning rags and old shoes that were two sizes too small; shear signs of her rank as a girl in poverty, and from the look of the numerous bags she carried, a servant in poverty. Not taking her eyes off her destination, she quickly bustled on, shouting apologies over her shoulder that were quickly lost in the springtime storm.

She always hated the rain. Not only because it meant being scolded when she brought home wet groceries and parcels, but because of what had happened so long ago... She brushed the thoughts off. Though there was no escaping her past, there was no point in dwelling on it either. Whatever had happened all those years ago had happened and old forgotten memories would come to her in good time.

She stumbled through the front gate leading to the mansion in which she lived and carefully rushed over the old cobblestone path, avoiding muddy puddles. The last thing she needed was her step-mother and step-sister angry about how her shoes had tracked mud and her dress had soiled the floors. Floors that she would be made to clean later on, no doubt. With a loud crack of thunder hot on her trails, she threw open the door and rushed inside, gasping to catch her breath as she dropped the parcels to the floor, shutting the door behind her with a bang. She took a moment to collect herself, a pit of fear forming in her stomach as a cold sweat trickled down her back. If she hated the rain, she absolutely loathed thunderstorms. She suppressed a shudder as she tried to remember that it was an irrational fear better left unrecognized.

"Oh Sakura, you're home!" a voice suddenly wavered down the stairs. Sakura straightened herself up and brushed stray flecks of mud off her dress, preparing to greet the mistresses of the house with as much respect as she could muster in her fear-stricken state.

A woman in a long fur coat suddenly appeared at the top of an elaborate marble staircase, her eyes surveying Sakura with a deep seated hatred that Sakura never quite understood.

"Yes," Sakura called in response, her light airy voice ringing melodiously through their great hall.

"You're late," the woman barked. Sakura knew it would be pointless to respond and so she merely held her tongue as the hawkeyed woman approached her. "No matter," she continued, her harsh face suddenly breaking into a demonic smile, "I am good spirits due to the latest royal news."

"Latest royal news?" Sakura questioned, more to herself than her step-mother. Though she had been around town all day, she had been too busy shopping to really pick up on the town's latest gossip.

"Yes, you stupid girl," the woman snapped, her eyes narrowing, "Be more attentive!" Sakura's only response was silence. "The royal family is having a ball in three days, a ball that will decide the queen of the kingdom. You will help us prepare night and day and make sure we look flawless, you dumb girl," she spat, her eyes narrowing even further before rapidly swelling with glee over her next words, "After all, my daughter will soon be queen." Sakura blinked. "'Queen Tomoyo', the people will sing, and you will be her servant in the castle," Sakura's step-mother almost laughed wickedly. "Now go put those things away and begin dinner," she instructed as she turned to retreat to her chambers, her long fox pelt trailing behind her.

Sakura sighed, melancholy feelings gripping at her, as she leaned over to pick up the parcels she had dropped just a few moments ago. Her life working for her step-mother and step-sister the past ten years hadn't been the best, though she had always hoped that her eighteenth birthday would bring her freedom. After all, it was soon approaching. She picked up the bags and quickly carried them into the parlor, pulling at her skirt hem to prevent the mud from splattering on the ivory colored carpet.

"But if Tomoyo goes to live in the palace..." she sighed to herself, "Step-mother will do doubt drag me along as a servant girl." As she was folding the newly purchased clothes, a dark purple feather suddenly slipped into the open, and slowly drifted to the floor. Sakura put the cloth down and reached over to pick it up, memories from the previous day suddenly flowing into her head. She had been out in the forest, her favorite place to be when her step-mother and step-sister weren't ordering her about, when she had come across the strangest looking bird. She also thought she'd seen a gallant prince in the shadows. She smiled to herself at the thought. If only...

Clasping the feather between her forefinger and thumb, Sakura made a silent wish.

"I wish I could go to the ball," she whispered inaudibly before placing the feather in her pocket and returning to her chores.

But that was just a wish. A sad, unattainable wish born from a lustful dream...and a fated meeting...

And a sick man's curse just waiting to be cast.

* * *

**A/N: Whew! Long chapter! Well, I hope you liked. It took me a few days to write this one because it's been a while since I've read ****Tsubasa**** and the characterization was just all wrong. But hopefully, it didn't turn out too bad... did it? Well, lots of interesting mysteries here and there. What new developments will come to pass? **

**Reviews are nice. :) See you in Act II!**


	3. Act II: Midday

**A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to Act II of CENDRILLON! Well, between learning guitar and getting ready for the start of college, I've been pretty busy. But not to worry, there will always be time for my lovely fics. So here we are at the next installment! It's another long one with plenty of cameos by both people and items (would you expect anything less from a CLAMP-based story?). See if you can recognize all of the occurrences here! And a warm thank you to all the supporters of this story thus far! :D Now without further ado, please read on!**

* * *

ACT II

MIDDAY

* * *

It is said that there are several ways to grant even the deepest, darkest wishes and desires.

Though some can be achieved through purity of the heart, the vast majority of these granters of power and desire come about through bloodshed.

Whether just the prick of a finger to draw a drop of blood or a mass genocide, trading blood for a wish is a common practice.

The most efficient way for those wishes that are most complicated, however, is said to be one that is most heartless, most cruel and perhaps most dangerous if not done right.

It is said that the blood of a magician's first love can grant even the maddest of men's desires.

The man with the silvery spectacles cackles as he remembers his own charade to grant his secret wish.

His quest for power, his need to be the most powerful in the land. His selfish want to suppress all others with even the inkling of a chance to overthrow him as the most powerful sorcerer.

Though all is not yet complete. No. It has only just begun.

The final piece to override a prophecy made once long ago by a witch in black. First, he must spill blood once again with a knife of betrayal before he will be free to be all powerful once again.

* * *

Sakura bustled through the busy streets, barely able to see where she was going as a large stack of boxes towered before her, held in her arms. The small pylon made to neatly obstruct her view, which made walking the streets a complete nightmare and utterances of "I'm sorry" and "please excuse me" very frequent in her presence.

But it was no different than usual. Sakura was used to carrying many bags and boxes for her step-mother and step-sister who loved to dress extravagantly; especially her step-sister Tomoyo, who had just as sharp a tongue as she did fashion sense. She would often berate Sakura on her choice in clothes, shoes and everything in between when Sakura returned with the shopping which made Sakura hate shopping even more, not to mention, her step-mother and step-sister sent her out to buy just about every little trivial thing under the sun.

However, today was different.

Today, she was shopping for new dresses, petticoats, hats, stockings, jewelry and shoes in preparation for the grand ball that would take place later that evening. Her step-mother and Tomoyo had given her a strict list of items to be purchased and a time when they expected her to return promptly by so that they could began readying themselves for the momentous occasion.

Them, not her. Her step-mother had made sure to be extra clear about this fact. And though Sakura wanted more than anything else to attend the ball, she secretly knew in her heart that there was no place for a servant girl among the majestic nobility that would be attending the grand ball. She sighed as thoughts of the blurry prince-like figure she thought she'd seen a few days ago danced in her head. If only...

Snapping back to reality at the sound of a noisy carriage passing by, Sakura realized that she was rapidly running out of time to retrieve all the necessary items off of the lengthy list. Concentrating dutifully on the list, she scrunched her eyebrows to survey just what exactly it was that she still had to retrieve before returning home.

"Shoes," she read lightly as she double-checked the list to make sure it was the last thing. She didn't see anything underneath it as so she assumed it was. Excellent. She would be done right on time. Attentively, she looked for the cobbler's shop. Shoes were her least favorite thing to shop for, mainly because she didn't know _how_ to shop for shoes. Not that she ever got much practice wearing fine things.

Instinctively she set off down Main Street, hoping that she would come across the cobblers shop somewhere among the other dress shops and boutiques. It had been several years since her step-mother or step-sister had sent her to buy shoes and thus she had forgotten where exactly the shop was. As she walked, she kept her eyes wide open, looking for it. Finally, she saw the cobbler shop sign hanging proudly outside a small shop and knew that her shopping adventure for the day would be coming to an end shortly.

"Welcome!" the shopkeeper boomed enthusiastically as Sakura hurried into the shop, careful not to set the tower in her arms tumbling down. "What...what can I do you for?" the shopkeeper asked slightly slower, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared at the large amount of boxes in Sakura's arms. "Woah, woah, let me help you with that," he said worriedly as he began to rush forward, throwing a small puppet aside.

"No, no, I'm alright," Sakura assured him, flashing him an earnest smile for his good nature as she sat the boxes on the counter.

The shopkeeper's features changed from worried to smug as he surveyed the girl again. "Ah, you must be getting ready for the ball. This is some shopping trip you're on, huh?" he asked, winking at her with a kind smile.

Sakura approached the man behind the counter. He had dark, messy, short hair and welcoming brown eyes as well as a large mouth that while not grinning at her, was fantastically forming words and stories. "My step-sister has requested that I buy shoes from you," Sakura explained, "Mr..." she trailed off, not quite sure of the man's name as his nametag was inconveniently smudged with tints of black and blue shoe polish.

"Call me Sora—Sora Arisugawa that is!" the man said, pounding his chest as he announced his name, "And if it's shoes you need, well then you, young lady, obviously came to the right place!" He quickly ushered her into a chair near the main area of the shop before disappearing into the backroom. "Any preferences? Color? Material? Occasion, perhaps?" the man called from beyond the violet veil that separated the storage area from the customer's seating place.

Sakura's eyes wandered across the many, many, _many_ shelves of shoes as the sounds of rummaging through storage continued from beyond the veil. "Not exactly..." she answered slowly, glancing down at the list, "But Tomoyo is very fashionable. So your latest style might be—" Her statement was suddenly cut off as Sora came bounding out of the backroom, knocking over several boxes of shoes as he went.

"Did you say _Tomoyo?_" he nearly sputtered, gazing at her with huge eyes.

Sakura nodded, "She's my step-sister."

Sora blinked once...then again...and finally a third time, before straightening himself up from his hunched over position and letting out a hearty laugh. "What a life you must live living with her," he let out between chuckles, "Ah well, business is business. Tomoyo is one of the trendiest customers this side of the shopping district has ever seen. The occasion would be the royal ball tonight, I presume?"

Sakura nodded again, "She wants a completely new wardrobe for the occasion."

Sora nodded to himself, looking pensive and stroking his chin. "In that case...I have the perfect pair," and with that he disappeared once again into the storage room only to appear moments later with a pair of dazzling diamond shoes. "As far as practicality goes," he began, holding the shoes up for Sakura to see and speaking in a hushed tone of admiration, "They aren't the most comfortable shoes, but these babies are sure to cause heads to turn tonight. Top of the Piffle Princess line and just released yesterday. I think these are _exactly_ what you're looking for."

Sora chuckled when he caught the look on Sakura's face. She was half-inspecting the shoes, half-admiring them for they were perhaps the most beautiful slippers she'd ever seen. They seemed to be made completely out of clear, sparkling glass, though if one expected close enough, it was easy to discern that the slippers were actually crafted from hundreds of minute diamonds all fashioned together quite seamlessly. And on the top of the shoe box on which they stood was the Piffle Princess logo smiling up at her as if urging her to buy the shoes.

"They are very remarkable," Sakura commented breathlessly; she couldn't tear her eyes away from them.

"One of a kind," Sora announced proudly, snapping out of his trance and carrying the shoes to the register, "So is it a deal, Miss?" He flashed her another kind smile which nearly caused her to blush.

"They're perfect," Sakura smiled back as she proceeded to withdraw the day's allowance from her small coffee-colored bag.

"One of a kind," Sora hummed as he rang her up, "One of a kind."

* * *

Sakura was overjoyed that the shopping for the day was finally completed. After purchasing the shoes, checking off the last item on her list, and assuring Sora that she could carry the twenty-five boxes (or so...) that she had acquired throughout the day, she knew that the only thing left to do was head home. As she made her way through the crowded streets back to her step-mother's mansion on the hill, she found the streets strangely more crowded than usual.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a particularly angry woman shouted when Sakura bumped into her, "Don't you know the Royal Procession will be riding here soon?"

Sakura blinked. "Royal Procession?" she asked. The woman, who had obviously lost her patience some hours before, merely rolled her eyes, clicked her tongue impatiently, and strode off away from Sakura, disappearing into the busy crowd.

So that was why there were so many people on the streets. But if the Royal Procession was already making their way through the town... A wave of panic shot through Sakura. She was late! Quickly, she spun on her heel and headed down a rather forlorn, though significantly less crowded, alleyway which she had always known to be a shortcut home.

She was rapidly making her way through the damp passageway when suddenly a cold draft washed over her. Curious over what could have caused such a sudden change in atmosphere, she slowed down to a walking pace and glanced around and over her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something dark, moving amongst shadows. It couldn't be a...ghost...?

The thought of an undead companion suddenly stalking her through the dark alley frightened Sakura causing her to begin to run at top speed towards the exit, however she had scarcely taken two steps when she collided with a hooded figure. She rebounded off of him and landed on the ground hard, all of her valuable items scattering every which way in the deserted alley. Disoriented, Sakura immediately looked up to catch the identity of the mysterious obstacle, only to see that his or her face had been hidden perfectly by an elegant, ebony cloak.

"Fancy meeting you here, Miss Sakura," a deep voice rang out from beneath the cloak's hood. Sakura scrambled backwards across the cold cobblestone, her hands desperately sprawled out behind her, searching for something to defend herself with.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, surprised that her voice rang out so clear and confident, though she was shaking from head to toe with nervousness.

"This is hardly the time for explanations," the cloaked man replied smoothly, stepping towards her, "It is time that you do something for me, my dear Sakura."

Sakura's hand enclosed around a cold, beaded object lying behind her. She gripped it hard and clenched her teeth, bracing herself for the defensive maneuver she would have to employ should the man continue his approach.

"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura," the man chided slowly, "You are indeed the last piece to my puzzle and tonight we'll seal it with a kiss." He reached towards her with a menacing smile visible beneath his hood. At that moment, Sakura raised the item behind her back over her head and plunged it down, aiming for the man's arm. However, he was able to catch her wrist before she made contact, holding her arm so that she could neither defend herself nor escape. A patch of light struck the object in Sakura's hand as it glinted brilliantly in the small alleyway. It was a single diamond shoe that had fallen out of the box when Sakura had dropped her goods a few minutes before.

"Now isn't that just perfect," the man cooed, pulling Sakura closer by her wrist, his eyes darting quickly from her to the shoe in her hand.

"Let go of me!" Sakura screamed, struggling to twist out of the man's grip.

"Scream all you like, my dear," the man hissed, pulling her into a standing position with unimaginable strength, "No one will hear you. No one will come." A look of horror set in across Sakura's features. "Now listen to me," he said grabbing her other wrist and holding her so that she was facing him, "On this night you will be cursed." An odd crimson fog filled the space between them and Sakura's eyes became cloudy as the man spoke. "Cursed to kill the first man you fall in love with," the cloaked man continued, "And may the curse reside in these shoes with which you have so tried to harm me—_me, _the Emperor of all Time and Space, with! And you shall play your part well, you worthless girl." With those final words, he released Sakura's wrists and watched as she wobbled back and forth, unsteady on her own feet, a dazed look still in her eyes. Slowly, the diamond slipper slipped from her hand to the cold ground and shattered into a hundred fragmented pieces while the hooded figure disappeared just as quickly as he had come.

* * *

"Sakura, you're late!" Sakura's step-mother screeched as Sakura hurriedly opened the front door and shuffled into the foyer, her dozens of bags in tow. "Where have you been you stupid girl?" the impatient woman sounded from the top of the stairs. She was dressed in a plain cream-colored frock and her hair was messily half-done as if she had stopped midway through getting ready just to confront poor Sakura, "You were supposed to be here an hour ago with our finery!"

Sakura scrambled to carry the bags and boxes upstairs, knowing that her step-mother's questions were merely rhetorical and to answer would mean no dinner for the evening. Then again, it wasn't as though Sakura knew for certain _why_ she was late. Upon exiting from the alleyway between Maple Lane and York Drive, she had realized the sun was a few degrees lower than it had been when she had entered indicating that a large amount of time had indeed passed since she had entered the alley. But she couldn't, for the life of her, think of what could have occurred; the passage through the alley had been as quick and painless as a Sunday afternoon trip to the market. Still, she couldn't deny that she was horribly late returning home and that she had no idea why. In the end, she decided to blame it on the large crowd that had blocked her way through the city's main square and had left it at that.

"If my darling daughter looks a wreck," the woman spat at Sakura as she snatched the dresses and jewels from Sakura's arms. She shot Sakura a particularly nasty look, "You'll be out on the street once and for all." She spun on her heel, her arms sporting massive amounts of clothes and jewelry, and made her way back to her quarters muttering to herself as she went, "Hmph, Fujitaka. Landing me with a worthless brat. Oh, what have I _done_ to _deserve_ this?"

Sakura made a face at her step-mother's mentioning of her late father, but the grimace could not stay long as Tomoyo quickly entered the scene, her two personal dressers in tow. "Sakura!" her pristine voice rang along the grand stairway, "Did you get everything on the list?" She didn't wait for an answer, but instead made her way over to where Sakura was standing with the boxes and picked up a tawny orange box with a picture of a crown engraved on the top.

Carefully, though effectively, she removed the top and revealed a stunning lilac gown with pearls sewn into the seams. She held the dress at arm's length with both hands and carefully examined the material before sighing, "Is this really the best you could do?" She turned to look Sakura straight in the eye, a steadfast and disapproving look settling in on her otherwise gentle features, "And after I'd given you such exact details."

Sakura merely stood her ground, not breaking eye-contact with her fashionista of a step-sister. Tomoyo's eyes wandered back to the garment in her hands before she sighed again, "Very well, this will do, I suppose." She tossed the apparel over her shoulder where it was quickly caught by one of her servants as she swiftly moved to search through the collection of necklaces and brooches that Sakura had acquired during her day of shopping. "Soma," she called, off-handedly, moving her fingers from a sword shaped brooch to a heart shaped one, "Prepare my bath—we mustn't waste even a minute."

"Yes, Lady Tomoyo," a woman with dark skin and even darker hair answered respectfully before bowing and turning to leave. She and the woman who had caught Tomoyo's dress a few moments prior quickly made their way down the hallway, disappearing through the doorway on the left which led to Tomoyo's chambers.

"And you," Tomoyo said as she picked up a violet brooch, "Sakura," she turned to face her step-sister, "You will kindly arrange my new items in my closet for me." She flashed a gorgeously innocent smile at Sakura as if there were absolutely no harm in her words, "After all, you have nothing _important_ to do tonight." Sakura opened her mouth slightly as if to ask whether _she_ might be allowed to go to the ball but Tomoyo continued, "It is not as though a servant girl like _you_ would be welcome among His Majesty's presence this evening," she continued to smile at Sakura as she spoke, "Is it?" And without waiting for an answer, for she hardly needed one, she turned swiftly and gracefully made her exit, leaving Sakura alone save the day's shopping mementos.

* * *

It was a quarter past seven o'clock when Sakura was rudely pulled from her evening of organizing and spat at once again by her impatient, boisterous step-mother. "Where are the _shoes_?" she hissed, her face livid in the early evening glow.

"S-shoes?" questioned Sakura, startled by her step-mother's sudden fury, "What shoes?"

"The shoes my darling daughter clearly told you to buy this afternoon, you annoying brat," the woman spit, her tongue dripping with venom, "Where. Are. They."

Sakura quickly hopped down from the stool she had been using to reach the top shelf of Tomoyo's closet and hurried into the hallway where she had dispensed the items earlier. For a moment, a swift wave of fear ran through her as she imagined herself losing the expensive diamond-studded shoes in the alleyway among the grime and rats, however, much to her relief, she found the small pink Piffle Princess box situated neatly near two large red hatboxes. "Right here, Ma'am," Sakura answered, grabbing the box and handing it to her step-mother. "I'm afraid you may have overlooked it..." Sakura added quietly, more to herself rather than to the woman before her.

"I," enunciated the woman, grabbing Sakura's wrist and dragging her close, "Do not overlook things you useless wench." With a flare of fury, she hurled the box down the stairs where it neatly bounced all the way to the bottom. "Do those shoes seem appropriate for my beautiful daughter?" she exclaimed, her face inches from Sakura's.

"Mother!" Tomoyo exclaimed, emerging from her room and looking absolutely breathtaking. The woman released Sakura angrily before turning to face her daughter.

"You will not make the same mistake again," Sakura's step-mother shot stiffly over her shoulder before hurrying into her own chambers to finish preparing herself for the night's festivities.

Tomoyo carefully made her way over boxes to where Sakura was kneeling and crouched down beside her so that their eyes were level. "I absolutely hate it when you push mother to act like so," she whispered vehemently. Then without warning, she raised her hand and slapped Sakura hard across the face. "You should have known our past with diamonds," she uttered as she straightened herself back into a standing position and disappeared from the hallway, leaving Sakura clutching at her now crimson check and both diamond shoes lying unscathed at the bottom of the stairway.

* * *

At approximately half past seven, Sakura's step-mother and step-sister, Tomoyo, gingerly made their way down the stone pathway and into their elegant horse drawn carriage, careful not to smudge dirt on their beautiful attires. Sakura watched with solemn eyes as the two ascended the steps and paid the coach driver a large sum of coins to take them speedily to the palace as they were already, in the older woman's view, _dreadfully late_.

The large house on the hill in which they lived never seemed larger or emptier than on evenings when Sakura was left alone to ponder her own existence while this family that she had been cursed into joining left her for the more fabulous, the more rich, the little things in life Sakura would never be able to experience.

The first thing Sakura could remember was sitting outside a stone palace in the rain and before that...? Her mind was blank and she often spent these times alone wondering who she was and why she had come to be in this horrid place now.

Though tonight, she chose rather to think on the grand ball that was currently happening as opposed to her mysterious past. The small purple feather which she had found on her clothes three days prior was gently resting on the table in the foyer within her eyesight. All at once, she was reminded of a half-dreamed fantasy she'd encountered once upon a time when she'd thought she'd met the prince of her dreams...

And all at once, she dissolved into tears as she collapsed to the floor; crying for all the bitter memories that had bottled up within her these past seventeen years...

* * *

"Kuro-tan~!" Fai called in a singsong voice from across the balcony where the two men were standing, "I have something interesting to tell you~!"

"I told you stop calling me that, damnit!" Kurogane exclaimed angrily at the magician's outlandish nickname, "What is it?"

"Ah but you are still curious as to what I have to say," replied Fai knowingly, approaching the black-clad soldier and coming to stop near the edge of the balcony. He leaned forward so that his elbows were resting on the stone railing and he had a clear view of the guests now arriving at the palace for the ball.

"Tch," Kurogane responded, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back, with one foot also against the wall behind the two, "Sometimes, magician, you have things to say which are worth hearing."

"So true, Kurochan!" Fai responded, a light and cheery mood once again setting in as he sprang up, brilliantly smiling.

"Get to the point!"

Fai settled back into his watchful position, his eyes lazily darting amongst the finely dressed men and women pulling up in elegantly drawn carriages. "It was her," he nearly whispered with a dead-serious tone that made the air between the two men seem a few degrees colder.

Kurogane let out a low whistle. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been surer of anything else in my life," Fai replied gravely.

Kurogane's eyes drifted over to where the young crown prince stood gaily greeting his guests as was custom. Though he was not a sentimental man, Kurogane couldn't help but feel a stab of pain as all that had been revealed set in. "And the kid?" he finally brought himself to ask, not taking his eyes off of Syaoran.

"We will have to play our parts soon," Fai said, choosing not to answer Kurogane's inquiry.

"Play the hand you're dealt, huh?" replied Kurogane, angling to look at Fai's back once again.

"Mm... Joker and all..."

* * *

A light chirping swiftly filled the room serving to efficiently drown out Sakura's muffled sobbing. Confused as to why there was a bird singing so close to her, Sakura looked up suddenly to find a small blue bird sitting on the foyer table near its lost purple feather which had found its way home with Sakura three days earlier.

"Oh, is that your feather?" Sakura asked, smiling slightly as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "I didn't mean to take it."

The blue bird chirped happily in response, flitting back and forth from the table to the window as if looking to see if someone else was there.

"No, it's just you and me," Sakura assured the small bird as she got to her feet and smoothed out the folds in her dress, "Everyone else has gone to the ball."

At that moment, there was a bright flash of bluish-purple light that rapidly filled the room. Sakura stumbled backwards with her arms shielding her eyes from the bright light, shocked as to where it had come from. When the light finally dimmed and faded away, where the bird had previously been perched, there stood an elegantly beautiful woman dressed in a dark blue and bright yellow gown that sported sunflowers sewn into the gown. Her black wavy hair was tied into two pigtails and she was smiling broadly at Sakura. Sakura, on the other hand, however, merely gaped at the woman, unsure of what to do.

"Thank you so much for saving my nest!" the woman chimed brightly, practically glowing with gratitude. She paused, looking confused, as she surveyed Sakura's now extremely startled figure. "Are you alright?" she asked earnestly, leaning forward to see Sakura better.

"Wh-who are you?" Sakura stammered, not able to take her eyes off of the woman before her.

"Oh, silly me!" laughed the woman, clapping her hands together, "Introductions, introductions, of course! If you'll excuse me, it's been a rather long time since I was in my human form." She winked at Sakura who was only getting more confused rather than less. "My name is Himawari," the woman explained, "And I've come to grant your wish!"

"Himawari...?" Sakura repeated, "Wish?"

"Oh yes," continued Himawari, nodding intently, "A kind-hearted girl like you should definitely have her wish granted."

"But what do you me—"

Himawari answered before Sakura could even finish her question, "Your wish to go to the ball of course, my dear!" Himawari was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

"The ball?"

"Yes, tonight! Now there is so much to do and so little time! Where to begin, where to begin..." The sunflower-clad woman paced up and down the foyer, pondering to herself as to what should be done as Sakura continued to stare. Could this really be happening to her? So the woman's name was Himawari. But who _was_ she exactly? Human-form...bird-form...? Wish-granting? Sakura's head was spinning.

"Of course!" Himawari exclaimed rather suddenly, stopping in mid-pace, "That is why I'm a fairy, I suppose." Before Sakura could ask about this new piece of information, Himawari elegantly drew a thin golden wand and waved it twice.

All at once, the brown rags Sakura had been previously dressed in morphed into a stunning pink gown with jewels littered along the sleeves and skirt and the bodice sewn with pure gold. Sakura gasped as pearls enclosed around her neck and wrists and several expensive-looking rings appeared on her fingers. To finish off the ensemble, a matching jewel-encrusted hairband appeared on her head to pull back her short hair.

Himawari fawned over her with large adoring eyes and a bright smile on her face. "Don't you look stunning?"

Sakura spun once in the dress, enjoying how soft the fabric felt before pinching herself hard with her right hand. "Ow!" she exclaimed as Himawari giggled.

"You're not dreaming," Himawari remarked, "This really has all come true. And tonight, you really will go to the ball."

"But what if my step-sister and step-mother see me?" worried Sakura, having finally decided to accept these crazy events.

"Don't pay them any attention," replied Himawari, waving her hand dismissively, "Tonight is your night to shine!" She rushed forward to lead Sakura towards the door when she suddenly gasped, "I nearly forgot! Shoes!" Himawari was in the process of extracting her wand yet again when Sakura suddenly shook her head. Without another word, she rushed from the foyer to the staircase where she retrieved the diamond slippers that her step-sister had so carelessly tossed aside hours earlier.

"These will do," she exclaimed, delicately removing the pair from the box and placing them on her feet. Luckily, she and Tomoyo were roughly the same height.

"You look stunning," Himawari complimented as she admired Sakura parade around the room, "Like a true princess."

Sakura happily processioned around the foyer before coming to stop in front of Himawari. "How can I ever thank you?" she exclaimed gratefully, tears of gratitude sparkling in her eyes.

"Don't thank me yet," Himawari advised, leading the small girl towards the door, "And now my dear, your carriage awaits." A bright trail of golden sparkles trailed from Himawari's hand down the pathway and to the gate where it formed a corporal, white carriage beside which two young men appeared.

"Thank you," Sakura gushed again, a rosy smile on her face as she watched, wide-eyed, the magnificent magic occur before her.

"Just remember," Himawari warned, "Beware midnight." Before Sakura could question this strange advice however, Himawari had rushed Sakura to the carriage where the stony faced man tipped his hat at them and the boy with glasses and dark hair opened the carriage door for her. "These two will take you to the ball," she told Sakura once Sakura was seated inside the plushy coach.

"Watch your hands, Miss," the boy with the spectacles counseled before jumping onto the back of the wagon. "Hey, why do you get to drive, Doumeki?" he suddenly shouted angrily towards the man driving.

"Hm."

"Good luck, Sakura!" Himawari called, waving, as the coach started up and began clattering down the road, "And remember dear, beware the midnight curse."

Beware...

For the spell breaks at midnight...

* * *

**A/N: There you have it: another long chapter! Not sure if everyone was...in character... xD; I tried to reread a few chapters of Tsubasa while writing this one so hopefully that helped. :D Sorry if the writing was generally bad though... I'm still in this weird rut as far as style goes...**

**Anyway, as usual, please review! :D See you in the next act! **


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